Tire-chain lock



TIRE CHAIN LOCK Filed July 1923 INVENTOR ATTORN EY Patented @et. 13, 1925..

TIRE-CHAIN LOCK.

Application filed July 26, 1923.

To all "ac/20m it may come-M1:

Be it known that I, HENRY J. KELLEN, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of lVoodstock, Pipestone County, hiiinnesota, have invented a new and useful Tire-Chain Lock, of which the following is a specification.

An object of this invention is to provide improved means for detachably connecting ends of a chain.

A. further object of this invention is to provide improved lever connections for the ends of a chain whereby said chain can be strained and tightened lengthwise and locked against accidental slackening or separation.

A further object of this invention is to provide improved means for locking connecting means for the ends of a chain whereby to minimize or prevent risk of accidental separation of the chain ends.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of elements hereinafter set forth, pointed out in the claims and illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved. device arranged for and connecting chain links, parts being shown by dotted lines in open position. Figure 2 is a similar view of the device, one side plate being broken away to reveal interior construction. Figure 3 is a plan or edge view of the same. Figure 4 is a plan of a blank of the frame of the device prior to bending and shaping of the same. 2

Figure 5 is a side view of a modified form of the device.

In the construction of the device as shown a frame is made of a'single piece of metal preferably by stamping the same to form a blank. designated generally by the numeral 10. The blank 10 is formed with parallel longitudinal slits 11, 12 extending throughout the major portion of its length on opposite sidesof its median line, whereby a tongue 13 is produced between said slits and integral with the blank at one end and fore-shortened at the opposite end. One end portion of each side member 14, 15 of the blank is rounded and notches 16, 17 are formed in and open to opposite side margins of said side members opposite each other. One side wall of each notch 16. 17 forms a right angle with the outer margin of the side member while the opposite wall of each Serial No. 653,936.

notch preferably is inclined and curved into said outer margin. Holes 18, 19, 20 and 21 are formed in the quarter portions of the blank 10. The blank 10 is bent on the indicated dotted lines 22, 23 so as to bring the'side members 14, 15 into parallel planes and registering the notches 16, 17, the holes 18. 19 and the holes 20, 21. A lever 2 1-, of greater length than the frame formed from the blank, is mounted between the sides thereof and fulorumed at one end on a rivet mounted in the holes 20, 21 and extending across the frame, and the opposite end portion of the lever is attenuated and extends beyond the frame. The fulcrumed end portion of the lever 24 is rounded and projects laterally from the body of the lever to form a boss 26 and a ratchet tooth 27 is formed on said boss and is adapted, when the lever is in closed position, to engage the terminal end of the tongue 13 and prevent movement of the lever in one direction. Spaced inclined notches 28, 29 are formed in and open to the inner wall of the lever 24. The notch 28 is adapted to register with the notches 16, 17 and with them embrace an end portion of a link 30 of a chain, said link. in turn, embracing the rounded end portion of the frame. Another chain-link or clevis 31 is mounted in embracing relation with the opposite end portion of the frame and eyes thereon register with the holes 18, 19. A. rivet 32 is mounted through the eyes of the clevis and holes 18, 19 and connects the arms of the clevis pivotally to the frame. The rivet 32 also extends across the frame and passes through the notch 29 of the lever 24:, when said lever is in closed position. The engagement of the rivet 32 with the walls of the notch 29 provides a supplementary connection of the leverto the frame which increases the strength and wearing qualities of the device. The tongue 13 and contiguous parts of the frame, all of the frame if desired, are tempered to give strength and elasticity to the tongue.

In practical use of the device, the chain, such as a tire traction and non-skid chain, is properly positioned, the levers 24 are opened and end-links are engaged successively in the notches 28 of the levers. Then the levers areturned into closed positions and in being turned they draw or strain the chains lengthwise and tighten them. In closed positions the tongues 13 curved inwardly, the better to present the terminal thereof to the tooth 27.

This device may be employed for connecting chain links, clevises, rings and the like in great variety and is not limited in use to tire chains.

1 claim as my invention 1. A lock for tire chains comprising a channel frame having a tongue on one side and open on the opposite side, the sides of the frame being formed with registering notches, a rivet for connecting a chain link to one end of said frame, and a lever fulcrumed at one end in the opposite end of said frame and formed with a notch adapted to register with the notches of said frame, the notch of said lever being adapted to receive another chain link and carry it into the registering notches of said frame and prevent its removal therefrom, said lever being formed with a tooth adapted to ensaid tongue 2. A lock for tire chains comprising a channel frame having a spring tongue on one side and open on the opposite side, the sides of the frame being formed with registering notches, a rivet for connecting a chain link to one end of said frame, and a lever fulcrumed in the end of said frame opposite to said rivet and formed with a notch adapted to register with the notches thereof, the notch of said lever being adapted to receive another chain link and the lever being adapted to be folded within said frame to move said chain link into the notches thereof, said lever being formed with a tooth adapted to be engaged by said spring tongue to hold it in such folded position 3. In a device of the character described, a frame formed with parallel side members having two pairs of registering holes and registering notches and also having a spring tongue on its median line, a lever fulcrumed on one rivet mounted in a pair of said holes and adapted to be moved through an are into and out of said frame and formed with an inwardly-opening notch adapted to register with the notches in the frame, and a clevis pivoted by a rivet mounted in the other pair of registering holes of the frame.

4. In a chain lock, a frame having a spring tongue, a lever fulcruined therein at one end thereof and adapted to be engaged by said tongue, said frame and lever having registering notches, said lever extending lengthwise of and within the frame at times and projecting therefrom at its free end, a rivet extending through said frame at the opposite end thereof from the fulcrum of the lever, and a clevis embracing said frame and pivoted by said rivet, the lever being formed with another notch. adapted to embrace the rivet within said frame.

5. A lock for tire chains comprising a channel name formed with registering holes adapted to receive a rivet attending across said frame, the outer ends of said rivet being adapted for connection to an end-link of a chain, said frame also being formed with other registering holes adapted to receive another rivet extending across said frame, and a lever fulcrumed at one end on the latter rivet within said frame and adapted to he moved through an arc in and out of said frame, saidframe being formed with registering notches opening at one margin thereof adapted to receive an opposite end link of said chain, said lever being formed with a notch adapted to register with the notches of the frame and receive said opposite end link wherebysaid link is confined by said lever, said lever being formed with another notch adapted to receive the central portion of the first rivet within the frame.

6. A lock for tire chains comprising a channel frame formed with registering holes adapted to receive a rivet extending across said frame, the outer ends of said rivet being adapted for connection to an end-link of a chain, said frame also being formed with other registering holes adapted to receive another rivet extending across said frame, and a lever fulcruined at one end on the latter rivet within said frame and adapted to be moved through an arc in and out of said frame, said frame being formed with registering notches opening at one margin thereof adapted to receive an opposite end link of said chain, said lever being formed with a notch adapted to register with the notches of the frame and receive said opposite end link whereby said link is confined by said lever, said lever being formed with another notch adapted to receive the central portion of the first rivet within the frame, said lever being of greater length than said frame and adapted to extend at times within said first end link.

Signed at Woodstock, in the county of Pipestone and State of Minnesota, this 12th day of May, 1923.

HENRY J. HELL-EN. 

